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The differences between materials specialists and materials planners can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a materials planner has an average salary of $58,467, which is higher than the $44,143 average annual salary of a materials specialist.
The top three skills for a materials specialist include customer service, logistics and data entry. The most important skills for a materials planner are supply chain, MRP, and purchase orders.
| Materials Specialist | Materials Planner | |
| Yearly salary | $44,143 | $58,467 |
| Hourly rate | $21.22 | $28.11 |
| Growth rate | 1% | -3% |
| Number of jobs | 38,001 | 23,019 |
| Job satisfaction | 4 | 4 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 47% | Bachelor's Degree, 65% |
| Average age | 38 | 45 |
| Years of experience | - | 2 |
A materials specialist is responsible for researching efficient and high-quality materials for production and manufacturing processes, following the designs and specifications of the engineering team and design analysts. Materials specialists identify cost-reduction materials by coordinating with trusted suppliers and vendors and determine the suitability of these items in the supply chain. They conduct data and statistical analysis to develop strategic techniques that would minimize the company's expenditures and cost. A materials specialist must have excellent communication and organizational skills, especially in writing expense reports and discuss findings to the senior management.
Usually working in a manufacturing setting, a materials planner's role is to manage the supply flow and inventory of materials. Their responsibilities revolve around liaising with vendors and other external agencies, processing purchase orders, monitoring the quality of supplies to ensure it is according to the standards, and coordinating with various teams to learn their needs. Furthermore, as a planner, it is essential to devise strategies to resolve any issues, all while adhering to the company's policies and standards.
Materials specialists and materials planners have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Materials Specialist | Materials Planner | |
| Average salary | $44,143 | $58,467 |
| Salary range | Between $24,000 And $79,000 | Between $45,000 And $74,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Diego, CA | Oakland, CA |
| Highest paying state | Hawaii | California |
| Best paying company | Apple | Apple |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Automotive |
There are a few differences between a materials specialist and a materials planner in terms of educational background:
| Materials Specialist | Materials Planner | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 47% | Bachelor's Degree, 65% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | - | Western Carolina University |
Here are the differences between materials specialists' and materials planners' demographics:
| Materials Specialist | Materials Planner | |
| Average age | 38 | 45 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 64.4% Female, 35.6% | Male, 52.7% Female, 47.3% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 10.3% Unknown, 5.6% Hispanic or Latino, 18.5% Asian, 6.6% White, 57.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.0% | Black or African American, 10.2% Unknown, 4.9% Hispanic or Latino, 16.8% Asian, 7.0% White, 60.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 11% |